Roasted Lamb Shoulder

I find British Lamb to be the best available and shall always make that my go to option given the choice. Lamb, a young sheep under 12 months of age which does not have any permanent incisor teeth in wear. (From July 1, 2019, the Australian definition is "an ovine animal that: (a) is under 12 months of age; or (b) does not have any permanent incisor teeth in wear. The New Zealand definition also allows "0 incisors in wear".

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 300 mins

Rest Time 240 mins

Total Time 9 hrs 20 mins

Cooking Method: Roasting

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 10

Ingredients

Lamb

3.3 kg lamb shoulder
2 lemons
500 ml chicken stock
5 bay leaves

Marinade

3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 lime

Vegetables

3 peppers
2 red onions
1 lemon
2 halloumi

Salad

1 cucumber
300 g mixed green and black olives

Dressing

3 tbsp mint sauce
350 g Greek yoghurt
potatoes

Instructions

1
Pat the lamb dry of any moisture before you begin. With a sharp knife score the fat and the meat in a cross hatch pattern, on top and underneath the lamb where most of the meat resides, rarely do you go into the meat but it works best here if you do.
Score carefully with the joint stable on the board and keep the cuts shallow and even; the aim is to expose more surface to the marinade without cutting the shoulder into separate pieces.
2
Combine the marinade into a bowl, mix it well then rub all over the cuts and around the meat and bones until fully coated. Place in a roasting dish and cover with cling film for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight if you have the space in your fridge.
Marinate in the refrigerator throughout, as written. After rubbing the raw lamb, wash hands and any contacted utensils or surfaces before preparing the salad or other ready-to-eat ingredients.
3
When you remove the lamb from the fridge, dice 2 lemons and place around the base of the dish and add 500ml chicken stock. Cover the lamb with parchment paper then double wrap with a strong silver foil. We are aiming to keep the moisture fully intact by covering and cooking it low and slow.
4
Place in the centre of a preheated oven at 160°C for 2 hours 30 minutes. After that time remove the oven and baste the lamb with all the juices from the pan then add the bay leaves. Tent the dish once again with the same parchment paper and foil and return to the oven, this time at a reduced 140°C for 90 minutes.
Open the foil cautiously because a large amount of hot steam can escape. Baste with a long-handled spoon and reseal the dish before returning it to the oven.
5
After 4hrs in total remove the lamb and place the aside whilst you add the vegetables to the dish then place the lamb on top and return to the oven for 25 minutes, do not cover, at 140°C followed by another 35 minutes at 190°C, again, without a cover.
Use tenderness and the thickest part of the shoulder as the endpoint rather than the timetable alone. The meat should be thoroughly cooked and yielding after the long braise and final uncovered roast.
6
Remove the lamb from the dish and leave to rest tented with silver foil. Place the vegetables into a large bowl and stir. Syphon the meat juices from any fat and use the juices as the base for the gravy with the fat being recycled for roasting the potatoes, place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with the oil.
Rest the lamb while the potatoes cook so the juices settle. Handle the separated hot fat carefully and keep it in a heatproof container before using it for roasting.
7
Turn the oven up to 210°C and simply remove each potato with a spoon and roast in the lamb oil for up to 90 minutes. Add the salad to the vegetables and serve together once the potatoes are done.
Turn the potatoes during roasting for even colour and judge them by a crisp exterior and tender centre rather than the maximum 90-minute time alone.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 10

Amount Per Serving
Calories 879.78kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 67.34g104%
Saturated Fat 29.55g148%
Sodium 1727.13mg72%
Total Carbohydrate 11.81g4%
Dietary Fiber 2.66g11%
Sugars 5.61g
Protein 59.38g119%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.